


Reversing The Hands Of Time

by Innerangel08



Series: Snippets [4]
Category: James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies), Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016), Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossover, Deception, Drama & Romance, F/M, Older Woman/Younger Man, Post-Skyfall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-28
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2019-03-23 14:39:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13789833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Innerangel08/pseuds/Innerangel08
Summary: After the events of Skyfall and grieving over the loss of the woman he loved,  James returns to the one place he swore he would never re-visit, but it may be the one place that can help him heal and move on. However, when he overhears a conversation between Miss Avocet and Miss Bunting, everything may not be what it seems.





	Reversing The Hands Of Time

* * *

The lone figure stood looking up at the four-story Victorian mansion with a look of longing and apprehension. James swore that when he made the decision to leave all those years ago, that he would never return, but circumstances had changed. The loss of the woman he loved still hung heavy on his heart. He missed her with each passing day, as her final words of _‘I love you,’_ continued to haunt his thoughts and dreams. He had no one to blame but himself for her death, He had failed to protect her when he promised that he wouldn’t let anything happen to her. In the end, he had broken his promise. Olivia had died in his arms, taking his heart with her.  
  
Upon his return to London, and after her funeral, he had debated with himself as to whether to return to the one place that would help him heal and move on. He had longed to visit even if only to explain why he had left in the first place. However, when he thought he had mustered up the courage to do so, there was always something, or rather someone holding him back. He would never admit it aloud, but what he felt was fear. Fear of what would happen should Miss Avocet ever find out that he had harboured feelings for her when he was eighteen. Even when he had met and loved Olivia, there was still a deep part of him that still loved Miss Avocet. He thought that if he left, then those feelings would eventually disappear, but they continued to linger to this day. It was only when he heard that Q had passed away a few weeks after Olivia, that he finally made up his mind. It was time he confronted his fears and try to explain everything to Miss Avocet.  
  
Taking a deep breath, he pulled his rucksack further up his shoulder and approached the main entrance to the school. The familiarity of the stone steps and oak doors, with stain glass windows, caused him to smile. Everything was still the same as he remembered, then again not much would change in a time loop. Pulling on the doorbell, he could hear the sound of running footsteps come closer, before the door was thrown open to reveal a boy no older than twelve, his hazel eyes looking up at him in curiosity.  
  
“Vinny, you know Miss Avocet doesn’t like running in the hallway.” said a soft female voice who was looking down at the boy in disapproval.  
  
“Clara?”  
  
The teenage girl looked up, with a look of shocked surprise on her face.  
  
“James? Is that you?”  
  
James simply nodded.  
  
“You look so... old.”  
  
He tried to think of a reply before he suddenly found himself suffocated by the hug of a fifteen-year-old girl.  
  
“We thought we had lost you for good,” said Clara pulling out of the embrace as her silver eyes filled with tears. “You left with no word or anything.”  
  
“I’m sorry Clara, it was one of the hardest decisions I had to make, but I had my reasons.”  
  
“Are you back for good?” asked Vinny, whose curiosity was replaced with hope now that he realised who it was in front of him.  
  
“I’m not too sure. I believe that is up to Miss Bunting and Esme.”  
  
Clara smirked, “You know Miss Avocet hates that nickname.”  
  
“That’s what she likes to tell all of you,” James replied with a smile, as he followed Clara into the main hallway of the school. “Speaking of Esme, Where is she?”  
  
“Miss Avocet is in her study. She is not long back herself. Miss Bunting said she was away on an urgent matter.” Clara whispered as they walked towards the grand wooden staircase.  
  
James brows furrowed in confusion, “What sort of urgent matter?”  
  
Clara paused and looked down over at Vinny. “Why don’t you tell the others that James has returned. I’m sure they’ll want to see him.”  
  
Vinny gave an enthusiastic nod and ran down the hallway causing Clara to roll her eyes. “Sometimes, I wonder if he will ever learn.”  
  
James smirked, “So, you were saying?”  
  
“What? Oh yes, Miss Avocet leaving for long periods of time? Miss Bunting never told us, only that it was nothing to worry about and that MIss Avocet had it covered. But to be truthful, ever since you left, Miss Avocet has been off of sorts. I can’t fully explain it, but something about her has changed.”  
  
James didn’t know what to make of that small piece of information. He knew she would have no doubt been upset when she had discovered him gone. She cared deeply for all the children under her care as if they were her own. She and Miss Bunting were the first two people he trusted ever since his parents died. At the age of eleven, Miss Avocet had taken him in and helped him understand and control his peculiarity. The first time he was aware he was different was when he had overheard his mother and father arguing in the kitchen. He had tried to intervene only for his father to grab him by the arm and drag him from the room. His father had ignored his pleas, as he struggled to break free from his father’s hold. It was only when he had placed his hand on top of his father’s, ordering him to ‘let him go’ that he knew he wasn’t normal. As soon as the words left his mouth, he recalled how his father stopped in his tracks, and his father removed his hand from his arm. When he looked up at his father it was then he noticed he appeared to be in some trance-like state.  
  
His mother had tried to comfort him, but he had pulled away not wanting to hurt her. His mother tried to reassure him that everything would be all right, but he didn’t believe her. That was until his mother had told him of other children who were similar to him and that he wasn’t alone. The fact that his grandparents had their peculiarities helped ease his worries. When Miss Avocet arrived, with a boy a few years older than himself, he was apprehensive of the newcomers, but as soon as he saw the warm smile on the older woman’s face, he felt himself relax. She had tried to help him understand, about peculiars and how she was a Ymbryne who could preserve time. When she had mentioned how she ran a school for children like himself and he was welcome to attend, he wanted to say yes to her offer, but his mother had declined. No amount of pleading would change her mind. Miss Avocet had no choice, but to respect his mother’s wishes and offered to teach him how to get a person out of their suggestive state. It appeared his peculiarity would only work with skin to skin contact, which resulted in him wearing gloves ever since. He could still recall how the boy with her; Rhye, managed to manipulate his father’s memories so he wouldn’t remember the incident.  
  
Over the years under the tutelage of Miss Avocet, he wasn’t as afraid of his peculiarity, if anything it had proven useful when he had joined SIS, allowing him to interrogate terrorists for information, and to get women to talk and fall for him. If Olivia ever wondered why he would never remove his gloves, she never asked, merely accepted it, which he had found strange. He had to be careful in warm countries, where he would have to leave his gloves off, or it would raise suspicion. It unnerved him to no end at first, but over time it became second nature.  Until it came to, M. He had tried to maintain as much distance as possible between them, afraid that he may accidentally use his peculiarity on her. But that didn’t stop his feelings for her if anything it only made those feelings stronger. Even though she was now gone, he would never forget the memories of the times they shared over the years. He would make sure of it.  
  
“Are you alright? I’ve been talking to you for the past five minutes with no answer.”  
  
“I’m fine, Clara. I got sidetracked with some memories.”  
  
Clara narrowed her eyes, “What did you get up to when you left?”  
  
“I joined the government, became an agent for Queen and Country, nothing too exciting.”  
  
“And the rest?” Clara probed. “Did you meet anyone?”  
  
James tried not to show his irritation at all the questions, but then again, they were warranted. He would have been curious too if he were in Clara’s place.  
  
“There was someone, but she died a few months ago,”  James said finding it harder to keep his emotions under control.  
   
“I’m sorry, James. She must have meant a great deal to you.”  
  
“She did, even though our relationship never fully came to be, I still loved her,”  James admitted as they reached the second floor.  
  
He could feel his palms sweat, as they walked down the corridor that would take them to Miss Avocet’s study. It had been years since he had last set foot in her private rooms, and he wondered if anything had changed.  
  
They were five doors away when Clara’s watched bleep causing the teenage girl to groan.  
  
“I’ll have to leave you here, James. I need to help Sophia and Thomas with making dinner. “  
  
“Make sure you leave some for me.”  
  
Clara smiled, “You can count on it.”  
  
James watched as Clara headed back in the direction they had just come from, leaving him alone in the corridor.  
  
Taking a deep breath, he continued towards his destination, both excited and apprehensive about seeing her again.  As he reached her office door, he was about to knock when he heard two familiar voices coming from the other side. His eyes narrowed as he pressed himself against the door, trying to listen in on what they were saying.  
  
_“Of all the... I can’t believe you would do something like this, Esmeralda. Is that where you were during those long periods of absence?”_  
  
_“I had to know he was alright. It seemed like a reasonable plan at the time.”_  
  
James' eyes narrowed wondering where this conversation was going.  
  
_“A reasonable plan? How on earth did you even manage to find him?”_  
  
_“Quentin. I sent him letters to ask him to keep a lookout for James. It was mere luck that he found him. He sent me a letter informing me that, James had joined the secret service in London. He managed to modify the file of the woman who had been in the front running for the position to become the head of MI6. I took her identity once we had discovered she had died in an accident in Hong Kong. He also designed a watch that had a built in perception filter as well as my own personal time loop which acted as a sort of status bubble. The world around me would move on, but I wouldn’t age with it.”_  
  
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing,  it was madness to think such a thing was possible, but he wouldn’t have put it past her. The mere thought of it being true caused his earlier excitement to be replaced with anger.  Then there was Q. The old man had known all along and never even told him the truth. It was another layer of deception that cut him to the core. James tried not to let his anger cloud his judgment as he heard Miss Avocet’s continue with her explanation.  
  
_“However, In adopting the woman’s identity, it seemed I also adopted her enemies as well. It was mere luck I wasn’t shot, but I used the concept to my advantage. I coated my hands and coat with blood from one the dead bodies that James had killed. The rest was theatrics on my part to make it believable. Before I knew what i was doing the words slipped out before I could stop them. When my body was brought to the morgue, Quentin met me there and replaced my body with a look alike. After I heard about attacks on other time loops by Hollows, I had to return to the school. It was only a few days after we received the news that Quentin had been killed by the Hollows that I knew I had made the right decision. I was worried about, James, but I knew he could handle himself as much as it pained me to leave him.”_  
  
_“Esmeralda, you lied to that boy, no man for years about who you were, then told him you loved him as you lay dying in his arms. Do you have any idea the repercussions it could have on your position? If anyone finds out...”_  
  
_“They won’t. If James ever returns, you can’t tell him about any of this. It has to remain between us.”_  
  
James couldn't believe what he was hearing, It seemed Olivia, and Miss Avocet was one in the same, and she had been lying to him for years. Christ, the woman had even faked her death at Skyfall. He didn't even know how to process that piece of information. He had loved Miss Avocet, but his feelings for the older woman at the age of eighteen had scared him and didn't see any other way to deal with the revelation. If he had told her, he didn't know how she would have reacted, so it was easier for him to leave rather than be in Miss Avocet's presence on a daily basis. Then he had met M when he entered the service, and it seemed history was repeating itself. It felt as if he were stuck in his time loop. As his feelings for M developed over the years, they had buried anything he had felt for Miss Avocet. He knew deep down those feelings were still there, but they had dimmed the longer he was in Olivia's presence.  
  
James had heard enough. Without knocking he opened the door and entered her office causing the two women to turn and look over at him. He saw Miss Avocet’s face pale, while Miss Bunting gave him a sympathetic look, which only made him angrier. He didn’t want or need her pity.  
  
“How much did you hear, James?” said Miss Avocet in sadness.  
  
“You mean the part where you stole another woman’s identity or the part where you faked your death after telling me you loved me?”  
  
Miss Bunting took a step towards him and reached out to place a comforting hand on his arm.  
  
“I know you’re mad, James, but before you make any rash decisions at least hear her out. While I don’t agree with her methods myself, I can understand on some level why she did what she did.”  
  
“That doesn’t make it any easier. I trusted her! I’ve always trusted her, and she has been lying to me for years! She could have told me at any given time that it was all a facade, or once she knew I was alright, yet she didn’t! She continued to live a lie!” he shouted before turning to Miss Avocet. “Did you enjoy taking me for a fool?” he said bitterly, his blue eyes darkening in anger.  
  
“Of course, I didn’t! How could you even think that? I did it because you left in the middle of the night without leaving a note or letter telling me where you had gone! I worried for years wondering if you were even still alive or hoped that one day you would walk back through that door! So, don’t you dare stand there and demand whether or not I took you for a fool when it was you that caused me to do what I did!”  
  
James tried not to flinch at Miss Avocet's words. He had never seen Esme this angry, or have such anger directed towards him, but he had seen and received it from M.  
  
Miss Bunting looked at them both, knowing it was a situation that the two of them would need to discuss on their own. She only hoped that the two would manage to patch their relationship from Esmerelda's actions.  
  
“I’ll leave you to it. It seems this is something that needs to be discussed in private, and between the both of you alone.”  
  
James gave Miss Bunting a relieved look in gratitude, causing the other woman to give him a small smile.  
  
“It’s nice to have you back, James. Go easy on her,”  she whispered before leaving the room and closed the door behind her.  
  
The two stood in silence for a reasonable amount of time, before Miss Avocet couldn’t take the silence any longer.  
  
"James, please say something."  
  
"What do you want me to say? James replied his eyes cold as he tried to contain the rage he felt that wanted to control every rational thought he had left.  
  
"I know you're angry." She said softly, her wise blue eyes filled with sadness as she tried to take a step towards him only for James to step back.  
  
"Angry, doesn't begin to cover what I'm feeling at the moment! I trusted you, and you lied to me for over six years! Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?"  
  
"And what about my feelings when you just left without so much as a word or letter! I had to find out from one of the other children a few hours after you had left! You have no right to stand there and lecture me about being hurt when I had to suffer three years not knowing if you were even still alive!"  
  
Miss Avocet saw James' eyes soften slightly before they were once again ablaze with anger.  
  
"I had my reasons for leaving! I couldn't tell you because I knew you would try and talk me out of it! I was and still am capable of looking after myself!"  
  
"Then tell me! Why did you leave? Was it something I had done?"  
  
"No! It wasn't you. Well, not in the way you're thinking."  
  
"Stop talking in riddles James and please just tell me."  
  
"Because I loved you!' he exclaimed his eyes boring into her own before softening. “I still love you."    
  
Miss Avocet felt light headed as she sat back down on the red velvet couch, her body overcome with shock at his blunt statement.  
  
"Is that what you want to hear?" James continued feeling his anger dissipate leaving him feeling empty.  
  
He stared into the roaring fire unable to look at her. He would never admit it out loud, but he was frightened to see her reaction to such a bold confession.  
  
"Why... why didn't you say anything?"  
  
"I couldn’t face you, knowing those feelings wouldn’t be returned. So I left.”  
  
“Then you fell in love with, M. You thought by loving her, you would forget about your feelings for me."  
  
"And look how that turned out! I come back in the hopes that it will help me move on from her death, yet instead, I find out it was you all along under a false facade. Christ, you even told me you loved me as you lay dying in my arms. Was all of that a lie?"  
  
Miss Avocet stared down at her lap as she tried to think of an answer to James’ question. She could lie and tell him that she had told him that in the hopes that he would return to her, but James had come to know when she was lying.  
  
"No, it wasn't. My time as M caused me to feel things I knew were forbidden, James. M was old enough to be your grandmother, and I'm old enough to be your great, great grandmother. I thought that if I told you my feelings as M, that it would give you reassurance that I genuinely do care about you. It was cowardice on my part because I couldn't tell you as Miss Avocet. I saw in your eyes, and in your actions at how much you loved M., I guess I never thought that you could have such feelings for Miss Avocet as well.  
  
James sat down next to her on the couch, watching as her posture became tense when their shoulders touched.  
  
"Tell me. Tell me again that you love me. "  
  
"I can’t, James. As much as I would like to repeat those words to you, I can't."  
  
When she still refused to look at him, James reached out and grasped one of her hands in his own, holding on tightly when he felt her try to pull away.  
  
"Look at me." He pleaded needing to see the truth in her eyes.  
  
When she didn't respond, he kneeled down in front of her. Reaching out with his free hand he gently tilted her head up, so she was looking at him.  
  
"Tell me. There is only you and me. No one else. I need you to tell me as Esmerelda Avocet. Not as M, or Olivia Mansfield, but as you."  
  
She could do nothing but continue to gaze into his eyes. If she said those words to him right here and now there would be no going back. The relationship that they had in the past would undoubtedly change If it hadn't done so already. She was about to reply when the room to her study was suddenly thrown open causing James to pull away from her just as Miss Bunting came running into the room; a look of extreme terror on her face.  
  
Miss Avocet stood up, nearly causing James to fall on his backside at the sudden movement.  
  
"What's happened?" she asked Miss Bunting urgently, while James got back on his feet.  
  
"It's Mrs Wren! Her loop has been attacked. I told her to find somewhere safe before we got cut off."  
  
"And the children?"  
  
Miss Bunting shook her head in sadness; it was then that James saw the tears falling from her eyes.  
  
Miss Avocet turned and walked over to the window and stared out into the forest in the distance.  
  
"We can't stay here. We'll take the children and make a new loop," she said turning to look at Miss Bunting. "Inform the children to pack everything they need.  We leave in two days time. If Mrs Wren survived, then hopefully she will reach us before that time passes."  
  
"Where do you propose we go?"  
  
"There is one place I would have suggested, but since it was destroyed two months ago, Skyfall is out of the question," James said causing Miss Avocet to look on in sadness knowing she was in part, responsible for his childhood home being destroyed.  
  
“James and I will look for a new location, Miss Bunting. If you can take care of the children, and ensure there isn’t a panic, especially amongst the younger children, I would be forever grateful.”  
  
Miss Bunting merely nodded and left to do that hardest job that she thought she would never have to do. Their school had been the center point of teaching and a safe haven for peculiars and Ymbrynes for years. It was home, but now their home was about to change, and she didn’t know if it would be for the better. They had no other choice, but the safety of the children was her first, and foremost priority and nothing will stop her from doing her duty.     
  
James waited until he heard the door close then walked over to Miss Avocet wondering what she was thinking.  
  
"What if the Hollows decide to attack before then? We may not make it out of here alive. I'll protect us the best I can, but the Hollows are invisible, we're sitting with a blind eye."  
  
"It's the chance we'll need to take, James. If the children get out of here unscathed, that's all that matters. Miss Bunting knows to inform the children that if anything happens to either of us, they are to make their way to Alma's loop. The same applies to you too, James."  
  
James looked at her as if she were crazy. If she thought for one moment that he was leaving her, she could bloody well think again. He had already lost her once; he wasn't about to lose her again.  
  
"Forget it, Esme. I’m not leaving you to fight those monsters alone! None of us can see them! They'll kill you!"  
  
"It's a risk I'm willing to take as long as the children are safe. I need you to do this for me, James. I trust you to keep them safe."  
  
"Nowhere is safe, surely you know that?"  
  
Miss Avocet gave him a sad smile, "I do, which is why should anything happen and Miss Bunting or I don't make it, at least they will have you and Alma to protect them."  
  
James couldn't accept that she would be willing to give her own life for the children, but he shouldn't have expected anything less. She was one of the oldest Ymbrynes in existence, and she cared deeply for all the children who were under her care.  
  
"Fine, I'll respect your wishes, but that won't stop me from trying to keep you safe."  
  
"I wouldn't expect anything less from you, James. Now, I think we should discuss an escape plan. I'm not taking any chances."  
  
"Very well, but first we need to finish our conversation before we were interrupted."  
  
"Now isn't the time for this, James. We have more urgent matters to deal with rather than arguing over our feelings for each other."  
  
"Like hell it is! I'm not letting you run away from this. Just tell me, Esme; Its a simple, yes or no answer. Do you love me?"  
  
The tension was shimmering in the air around them, as James waited in anticipation for her answer.  
  
"Yes. As much as I tried to deny it over the years during my time as M, it only caused my feelings for you to grow."  
  
James gave a smug smile, "That wasn't so hard, was it?"  
  
Miss Avocet gave him an unimpressed look, but her eyes held amusement as he took a few steps to close the gap between them.    
  
“Do you to trust me?” He whispered never taking his eyes from hers.  
  
She gave a faint nod, their faces mere inches apart. The smell of sandalwood overtook her senses causing all train of thought leave her as James leaned down; feeling his lips meet hers in a lingering kiss. She tensed at the unexpected move; the kiss was light as if he was testing her. His hand left her face as his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her in closer. Feeling his tongue dart between her lips, she felt a ripple of pleasure to go through her. She got lost in the sensation, her body relaxing under his touch. Letting her eyes close, she felt herself responding.  
  
Miss Avocet, felt James arm wrap itself around her waist and pulled her in closer, causing a small moan to escape her throat as rested her hand on the base of his neck holding him in place pressing her mouth harder against his own.  
  
The kiss was full of love, passion, and desperation that took her breath away. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt such love directed towards her.  
  
The seconds ticked past before they finally broke for air, and James rested his forehead against Miss Avocet's as they both tried to get their breathing under control.  
  
“I’ve wanted to do that since you met me in the Bahamas,” James admitted with a content smile.  
  
Miss Avocet pulled away to look up at James who was wearing a mischievous smile.  
  
“James, if anyone finds out about what just happened between us, it will cause us a world of trouble. Are you prepared for that?” Miss Avocet asked searching his eyes.  
  
“I’m willing to take the risk if it means I get to live the rest of my days with you. What happens between us in private will stay that way, no one needs to know.”  
  
“And around the children?” she asked raising an eyebrow. "I know you, James. You will use our relationship as an excuse to mark your territory."  
  
"Perhaps in the past, I would have done, but now its different. I won't deny it will be difficult for me to keep my hands off you.”  
   
“I know, but it’s vital that our relationship remains a secret because just as you can’t lose me, I can’t stand the thought of losing you either. It's forbidden for a Ymbryne to fall in love, let alone with someone who was under their care. If the council ever finds out about us, I don't want to think about the consequences. We need to be careful, James. I'm sure you're already aware of this?”  
  
James understood all too well. It made him wish that she took up a position on the council when they approached her on four separate occasions all those years ago. She had declined just as he knew she would. Her dedication would always be to her school and her children. Nothing would ever come between them, not even the council.  
  
“James?”  
  
“Yes, I’m all too aware of the council’s code. If our relationship has to remain a secret then I can live with that because knowing I have you, nothing else matters.”  
  
He reached up and caressed the side of her face, with a loving smile.  
  
“I meant what I said; I love you, Esme and nothing will ever stop me from loving you.”  
  
“I don’t deserve you, James. Not after everything I’ve done.”  
  
James placed a finger under her chin and lifted her head, so he was staring into her eyes.  
  
“Yes, it was wrong for you to do what you did, but it was also wrong for me to leave the way I did. I guess what I’m trying to say, is that both of us are to blame.”  
  
His words caused her to relax as she gave a small chuckle. “Is that your way of saying we’ve reached a compromise?”  
  
“If you want to call it that, then yes, I say it is,” he whispered leaning down and pressing another kiss to her lips.  
  
“As much as I would like to continue this, James. We need to come up with a plan. There will be time for us later.”  
  
“You’re right; we had best find a map, then we can go from there.”  
  
Miss Avocet nodded in agreement, then pulled out of James’ embrace and walked over to the grand antique bookcase behind her desk.  
  
James watched her as he took off his bag and dumped it on the floor next to the couch, then walked over to her when he saw her pull down a long rolled up piece of paper from one of the shelves.  
  
Opening up the map, Miss Avocet placed it on her desk, then put a paperweight on each side to keep it flat.    
  
“Mr Wren’s loop was located in the old WW2 tunnels in the London Underground. We can assume that the Hollows are in the general London area. So, we need to find a place that is a good distance away.”  
  
James looked down at the map over her shoulder, noticing that various areas were circled showing the different locations of the time loops.  
  
“There’s always Sweden,” James suggested. “If the Hollows and Wrights are attacking the London area, then our best option would be to go across the channel. It could buy us some time at least.”  
  
Miss Avocet looked at Sweden on the map, debating whether or not such a move would be a good idea. She had stayed in Derbyshire for years, the thought of moving so far away made her feel uneasy.  
  
“I don’t know, James. It could take days for us to arrive there, and it might be days that we don’t have.”  
  
“Then where do you suggest?”  
  
“How about, Caithness? It’s remote, secluded and out the way,” she said looking up at him. “And it won’t take as long to get there. There’s a ferry that leaves first thing the day after tomorrow.”  
  
James looked at her, seeing the hopeful look on her face at her suggestion.  
  
“Where would we live?”  
  
Miss Avocet turned away from him and started to hunt through her desk drawers, before pulling out an old sheet of paper and handed it over to him.  
  
“What’s this?” James asked, unfolding the paper with care afraid that it may rip.  
  
“Your grandfather left it to the school before his death. It’s the deeds for a property he owned in the Caithness area; it should be large enough for all of us.”  
  
James read the information, seeming satisfied that everything looked to be in order. It appeared his grandfather had always been prepared for everything. He had only met him a handful of times as a young boy, but his stories were still enthralling. He would listen with wonder and avid fascination as he spoke of a woman who would teach and look after children with special abilities giving them a haven where they could live normal lives. To him, It was exciting to think that a woman could change into a bird and create time loops to preserve the last twenty-four hours.  He just didn’t realise how true the stories were until his peculiarities came out to play.  James just wished he knew more about his grandfather. Whenever he had asked his mother, she would only tell him so much. It was only when he came to the school that Miss Avocet and Miss Bunting told him more about his grandparents and their peculiarities.  
  
It seemed his grandfather could control the weather based on his emotions, while his grandmother, had the peculiarity of a siren’s song.  Miss Bunting had told him fondly how his grandfather, would often jokingly tell them that his grandmother’s peculiarity was what had caused him to fall in love with her.  After they had left the school, he would see Miss Avocet and Miss Bunting share a look whenever he asked about his grandmother's death. They had avoided answering, telling him that they would tell him when he was older. He would need to ask again at some point, but he had a feeling he knew the cause of his grandmother's death. He just hoped it wasn’t the case and she hadn’t met the same fate as Q.  
  
The feel of Miss Avocet’s hand on his arm caused him to look up from the deeds to see her gazing up at him with a look of worry.  
  
“What’s playing on your mind, James?”  
  
“Why didn’t you tell me about this?” James asked curiously as he handed the deeds back to her.    
  
“It didn’t seem important at the time,” she admitted removing her hand from his arm then turned away from him knowing that his grandfather’s deeds weren’t the only matter on his mind. “I refused his offer at first, but he said to use it in case the school was ever under attack. I've had it in my desk drawer for years. I simply forgot all about it.”    
  
He thought over her words; he could see why she would have forgotten about the deeds if she was reluctant to accept them in the first place. “I think you should take him up on his offer. At least for the time being, Esme.”  
  
“Very well, Caithness it is. Hopefully, our second trip to Scotland won’t be as eventful as the first.”  
  
James tried not to think back to that day. It had been one of the worst days of his life since he heard the news of his parent's deaths.  
  
“One can only hope. At least this time we know what we will be facing should we run into any trouble. And knowing us, it is more than likely.”  
  
The two of them shared a knowing look acutely aware there was truth in James’ statement. It seemed trouble liked to follow them, especially James. She sometimes wondered if the man had been cursed with something worse than his peculiarity.  
  
“Perhaps, but let’s try and not to think about the worse case scenarios just yet, James.”  
  
“Nothing wrong with being prepared,” replied James placing his hand over her own.  
  
“Hmm, I suppose not. But first, let’s worry about getting everything packed. I need you to find Miss Bunting and tell her about our plans. Then, help her get the children ready.”  
  
“What are you going to do?”  
  
“I’m going to contact, Alma. She needs to know there is a high chance her loop could be attacked. I want her to be prepared if it ever should come to it.”  
  
“And afterward?”  
  
“We remain on guard until we leave, James,” she told him softly. “Your room is the same way you left it. I would rather you tried and got some rest tonight before we need to leave.”  
  
James tried not to let his disappointment show that she hadn’t invited him to stay with her until that time came.  
  
“Very well, hopefully, I’ll see you before I retire tonight.”  
  
She gave him a loving smile, “You’ll just have to wait and see. Now you had best go and help Miss Bunting. No doubt the children will want to see you.”  
  
“Yes, I’m sure Vinny and Clara would have told everyone by now.”  
  
Miss Avocet chuckled, “yes, it wouldn’t surprise me if that were the case.”  
  
“Well, you would know them better than anyone,” he whispered tenderly as he lowered his head to hers and captured her lips in a slow, gentle kiss.  
   
"I do." She whispered against his lips. "Which is why it's best you go and see them."  
  
"Yes, ma'am," James replied his eyes filled with mischief, as he placed one last kiss on her lips and left the room.  
  
She watched him leave the room feeling herself overcome with emotion as her mind seemed to finally process what had happened. She wondered if she was making the right decision in regards to a relationship with James. She had meant every word that she said to him tonight, but with her children and school in danger, and fear of the council finding out, Miss Avocet wondered if perhaps she should have waited until the current matter with the Hollows was over.  
  
Turning to look back at the map on her desk, she realised she couldn't do that to him. She couldn't recall the last time she had seen James look so happy and relaxed. It would kill her to take that spark from his eyes. They both deserved some happiness, but her priority was the safety of her children.  She knew James would do everything in his power to help keep them safe; she only hoped she wouldn't lose him in the process.

 


End file.
